


Missing Family

by Princess_Corrin



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Comfort, F/M, Homesickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27991173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Corrin/pseuds/Princess_Corrin
Summary: Corrin, who misses her family in Nohr, speaks to Ryoma about her worries for the war and the truth of Nohr's evil. Ryoma worries he may no longer love Corrin the way he once did.
Relationships: My Unit | Kamui | Corrin/Ryoma
Kudos: 8





	Missing Family

Corrin sighed, picking up a practice sword. It felt heavy in her hand as she took aim at the training dummies. In her hesitance, she noticed the Nohrian emblems affixed to each dummy and her heart sank. The rest of the soldiers in the training room carried on with their practice, with the exception of Ryoma. She hardly noticed as he approached, lost in thoughts as she was.

“Corrin? Are you alright?” He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the sudden weight, and gave him a small smile.

“Ah, yes. I am. Sorry, Ryoma. I just... ” She trailed off, looking back to the dummies. She reached out and touched the Nohrian emblem, felt its familiar gold and chalcedony. “I know Nohr is our enemy, but I can’t stop thinking about… them.”

“Them? Do you mean the Nohrian royal family?” Ryoma said, shifting his weight.

“Well, yes. Xander, Camilla, Leo and Elise… when I was with them, they were so kind. Xander was more strict, but still, he seemed to mean well...”

“Corrin -”

“I’m not having second thoughts about my decision,” she said flatly, interrupting him. “I’ve made my choice and, come what may, I have no regrets about it.”

Ryoma’s visage softened, and a smile lifted up his cheeks. “I know, Corrin. I trust you.”

Corrin smiled, too, and set her practice sword back into its rack. “Can we continue this somewhere else? I… there is something I want to talk to you about. I don’t know if the others will understand if I tell them… especially Takumi.”

“I see. Certainly. Would you like to meet at the lake?” Ryoma said, turning toward the training soldiers behind him.

“Somewhere more private. I don’t want anyone else hearing us… I really need to get some things off my chest. How about my room?” Corrin asked, her heartbeat quickening. Ryoma nodded, folding his hands across his chest. “We’ll meet there, then. Just let me finish observing these soldiers and I’ll be there when I can.” Corrin walked up to him then, putting an arm around him in a half-hug. “Thank you, Ryoma. I really appreciate this.”

Corrin sat in her room, looking through things old and new. Books brought in by Sakura and Yukimura, old pictures she had drawn as a child, strange toys and dried-out inkbrushes... She stared long at a drawing, allegedly of herself, her mother, and King Sumeragi, taking deep breaths. She let the parchment drift from her hands as she stood up, pacing back and forth in the room. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, and just then the door slid open.

“Excuse me,” came the voice of Ryoma, and Corrin glanced up from her things.

“Come in,” she called, turning to face him. She had removed her armor, instead in a black, long-sleeved flare dress and stockings. Ryoma, however, was still clad in his.

“What was it you wished to speak about?” He said, placing a hand on his hip. “We don’t have too much time before dinner, and I still need to get out of my armor. However, I want to help you however I can.”

“...I miss them, Ryoma.”

“You miss… the Nohrians. Right.”

“I don’t recall too much of my time in Hoshido… and I’m really happy to be back here… but still, I made so many memories with them. Not all of them were good, mind you, but I still recall sweet Elise, caring Camilla, sassy Leo and strict Xander. I don’t see them as enemies at all. I see them almost like family.” She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head. “They aren’t evil. I know Hoshidans see them and all of Nohr like that. But they aren’t… they’re being forced to be like this by King Garon. Their own father…”

Ryoma wrapped his arms around her then, pulling her into a hug. “No father should ever treat his children that way. And, I do understand the feeling of missing someone you grew up with and have suddenly lost. I’m sure Hinoka would say she does as well.”

“I know… I know,” she said, breaking the hug and wiping away a tear. “I’m happy to be back too. I want to make so many memories with all of you… even Takumi. But I keep thinking… if we keep pushing forward in this war, we’ll inevitably clash with the royal family. There’s no way Xander would let us anywhere near Garon...”

Ryoma nodded and took a step back, gesturing towards Corrin. “You don’t want to fight those you once called family. I understand, Corrin. I’m not heartless. But you have to think about what they could do. They possess the blood of the Dusk Dragon, just as we possess the blood of the Dawn Dragon. If they are willing to raise arms against you - the one they once called sister - then you must defend yourself. If they are unwilling to listen to your reasoning, you must be prepared for the possibility that they must be defeated. The tide of war is rarely merciful.”

She took a deep breath again, massaging her temples. Ryoma let his arms rest by his side, watching as Corrin began to shiver. “I can only hope that they will listen to reason. But… I… I can’t let them stop me, either. Stop us.” She said finally and firmly, with clenched fists. “I don’t see Elise trying to, but I worry for her in a war zone. She has no combat training. All she cares about is helping people and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.”

“We can only hope, then, that they will all listen to reason. Perhaps if this Elise were to help you, the others will be more likely to come along, too.” Ryoma offered, along with a smile. Corrin sniffled and smiled faintly.

“That will have to be my plan, then. I’m sure we can convince Camilla, too. I don’t know if we can get through to Leo or Xander without them… but we can try.”

“Time will tell, Corrin. We’ll see if they will accept your mercy and understand your reasoning.”

With a gentle sob, Corrin reached in and hugged Ryoma tightly, and he embraced her with an arm, placing his free hand atop her head. “Thank you, Ryoma. Thank you so much for hearing me out… I feared the others might simply cast my worries aside. I know how much they hate Nohr.”

“I understand your concern. I hold no love for Nohr either, but I trust what you have to say on the matter. If it will not bring harm to my family or nation, I will help you however I can.” He stroked her hair gently, a tinge of red on his cheeks. Suddenly he stopped, pulling his hand away and taking a step back as he cleared his throat.

“Dinner should be ready soon, and I still need to change for it. I’ll see you in the hall, Corrin.”

“Uh-huh! I’ll be there. Thank you again, Ryoma.”

“Of course. I am always here for you, Corrin,” he said, before slipping out from her room.

  


* * * * * * * * * * * * *

  


“What was I thinking…” Ryoma chided himself, now free from his armor and in an evening robe. He sat alone in his room, dinner now long since passed, and the day passing further and further into night.

“Corrin… I yearned to bring you back. For so many years my mind was focused solely on that. I… we needed you back. Now that we have you, I…” he spoke to no one, holding his head with his hands. “I cannot love you like this...”

He looked up then, gazing into the ceiling, watching the light of the night sky dance in through tiny windows. “Father… What do I do? I feel as though I cannot keep this facade up forever. I love Corrin… but… it is not how I once loved her.”

Silence replied, and Ryoma took a deep breath, extending his arms out. He thought back to his talk with Corrin earlier. He had been so eager to tell her, just once upon her return, and yet the words escaped him. All he wanted to say was that he loved her.

“If I were to speak those words to her… I do not think I could conceal my feelings any longer.” He took another deep breath, exhaling slowly and deliberately. “I cannot let this happen. I cannot fail father again.”


End file.
